Multiple-pointed pen



(No Model.) 7

T. W. P. SMITTEN.

. MULTIPLE POINTED PEN. No. 337,712. Patented Mar. 9. 1886.

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U ITED I STAT S IATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS V. F. SMITTEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MULTIPLE-POINTED PEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,712, dated March 9, 1886.

Application filed August 17, 1885. Serial No. 174,599. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. F. SMITTEN, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in l\'[ultiple-Pointed Pens, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to multiple or double pointed pens, which comprise separate pentips so combined that in ruling or writing two or more lines or a single line may be formed.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple pen or implement in which the distance apart of the lines formed by the two pen-tips may be regulated by varying the pressure applied through the handle, and which, at the will of the user and simply by varying the pressure, may be made to produce two lines, or a single line which will branch into two lines and may be merged again into a single line.

The invention consists, essentially, in a multiple-pointed pen comprising a head or stock forinsertion in apen-holder and elastic shanks extending therefrom and provided at their ends with converging pen -tips. The two shanks in the double-pointed pen may be so formed as to diverge laterally outward and downward from their inner edges, which construction will make them more flexible and enable them to respond more readily to pressure applied through the handle for the purpose of causing the pen-tips to spread apart laterally. The pen-tips may be adjustable in the shanks relatively to each other so that they may be set at a varying distance apart, in addition to their automatic spreading or adjustment when in use, and the two features of construction above described are both included in my invention.

The invention also consists in the combinati0n,with apen comprising a head or stock and elastic shanks provided with pen-tips, of a holder receiving the head or stock of the pen, and having a cam, which by pressure on the holder is introduced between the shanks to spread them and their attached pen-tips.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a double-pointed pen and holder embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the shanks upon the plane of the dottedline a: m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of a pen similar to that shown in Fig.

1, but inserted in a holder which has a cam for acting upon the shanks to spread them and their attached pen-tips. Fig. 1 is a side View of the pen-holder shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the shanks upon the plane of the dotted line 11 3/, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan of a double-pointed pen very similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but having the pen-tips adjustably secured to the shanks; and Fig. 7 is an end view of the pen shown in Fig. 6with the pen tips both removed from the shanks.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, adesignates the head or stock of the pen,which is inserted into an ordinary holder, B; and b b designate the two shanks,which extend from the head or stock a and are made elastic or flexible.

These shanks carry at their outer ends pentips c,which converge toward their points and may in their normal position meet.

As here represented the pen, including the head or stock, the shanks, and the tips, is made from a single piece of metal, and in order to render the shanks more flexible and elastic, so that they will yield readily to pressure applied through thestick O and holder B, they are set or arranged so that they diverge laterally from their inner edges outward and downward, as is best shown in the transverse section, Fig. 2. The shanks will then be very elastic in the directions indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 2, and pressure applied through the handle will cause the shanks to spread and carry the pen-tips farther apart, while when pressure is removed the pen-tips by the elasticity of the shanks will again be brought nearly or quite together.

The pen shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, like that above described, comprises a head or stock, a, elastic shanks b, and pen-tips 0, carried by said shanks. The holder B is, however, differently constructed from that represented in Fig. l. Said holder comprises a socket, d, in which the head or stock a is inserted, and a cylindric socket, e, which receives the stick 0. The sockets d e are connected by an elastic arm, f, which enables the stick-socket e to move downward toward the pen-socket d and the pen when pressure is applied through the handle. Upon the cylindric stick-socket e is a cam, g, which, when pressure is so applied through the stick or handle, is forced downward between the elastic pen-shanks b. as represented in Fig. 5, and caused to spread them apart. It will be seen that in this construction I do not depend solely upon the elasticity or flexibility of the penshanks b carrying the pen-tips apart; but this natural flexibility is supplemented by the positive action of the cam g. r

The pen shown in Figs. 6 and 7is very similar to that represented in Fig. 1, as it comprises a head or stock, a, elastic shanks b, which diverge laterally from their inner edges outward and down ward, and which carry pentips a. In this example of my invention, however, the shanks are provided at their ends with tip-sockets b, and in these sockets the "pen-tips c are inserted. These sockets provide for adjusting the pen -tips nearer to or farther from each other, in which position they will be held by the friction or clamping action which the tip-sockets b exert upon the tips. for the spreading action of the tips, due to the elasticity of the shanks b, but it also provides for definitely adjusting the tips nearer to and farther from each other before the pen is used.

From Fig. 6 it will be seen that the heads of the pen-tips c are approximately circular, and the ajustment of their points at different distances apart may be effected by slightly turning their heads in the sockets b.

If the pen-tips meet or are normally close together, a single line maybe produ'ced,and by applying and removing pressure the implement may be used to produce a double or single line at will, or double lines at various distances apart.

In my application for Letters Patent, Serial No; 174,797, filed August 19, 1885, I have shown a device or connection whereby two ordinary pens may be connected with a single stick and held in such converging positions that their points arein close proximity. That This pen not only affords provision 1 device or connection comprises elastic arms, on which are mounted pen holders, each adapted to receive an ordinary pen.

I do not desire to include in my present in-' with converg'ing pen-tips, substantially as specified.

2. The double-pointed pen herein described, consisting of a head or stock for insertion in a pen-holder, two elastic shanks extending therefrom in approximately thesame direction,

and diverging from'their inner edges laterally outwardand downward from each other, and converging pen-tips carried by the two shanks, substantially as specified. V

3. "The multiple-pointed pen herein described, consistingof ahead or stock for insertion in apen-holder, elastic shanks extending therefrom, and converging pen-tips carried by and adjustable in said shanks relativelyto each other, substantially as specified. 4. The combination, with a pen comprising a heador stock, and elastic shanks extending therefrom and provided with pen-tips, of a holder'receiving the head or stock and having a cam which, by the pressure on the holder, is introduced between the shanks to spread them'and their attachedtips, substantially as specified.

head adjustably fitting said socket, substantially as herein described.

T. W. F. SMITTEN.-

Witnesses:

G. HALL, FREDK. HAYNES. 

